April 8, 2008: Kaptur Kicks-Off 2008 Farmers' Market Coupon Program
April 8, 2008
Marcy Kaptur joined with officials from the Northwest Ohio Area Officeon Aging at Toledo’s outdoor farmers market to kick-off the popularSenior Farmers’ Market Coupon Program (SFMCP).
“As we come to this year’s Spring season, we welcome the start of theSenior Farmers’ Market Coupon Program,” said Kaptur. “Since this effortbegan in the summer of 2001, it has provided nearly $10 million infresh fruits and vegetables to thousands of our region’s older adults,while also providing income to hundreds of local growers. We are alwayslooking for ways to expand the success of our local and independentgrowers throughout the district. The Senior Farmers’ Market CouponProgram does just that and encourages good nutrition for older adults.This is an ideal way to support better nutrition and keep our fooddollars local. Since the program began, over 100 family farmers innorthwest Ohio have registered to sell home grown product and anaverage of 18,000 senior citizens are participating.”
The Ohio Department of Aging and the Area Office on Aging received agrant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in theamount of $1,187,412 to provide locally grown fresh fruits, vegetables,and herbs to 17,000 eligible older adults citizens in Northwest Ohio.This is the eighth consecutive year for the effort supported by Kaptur,who serves on the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee that fundsthe USDA and the Senior Nutrition grant.
Mrs. Billie Johnson, Executive Director of the Area Office on Aging,stated, “We are very pleased to be able to offer the Farmers’ MarketCoupon Program again to our older adults. This initiative is awonderful way to help continue in our mission to serve older adultswhile improving quality of life. We have the opportunity to expandnutrition service options, enabling people to purchase the very best inquality produce fresh from our own region. We have been able to developa strong partnership with area farmers, the State Departments of Healthand Aging, and USDA, to successfully implement a creative programseniors have truly appreciated and fully utilized. The Farmers MarketCoupon Program is the most popular of our many offerings, with olderadults happy to put money in the pockets of local farmers whileenjoying the best of their produce.”
Dr. Rebecca Liebes, Director of Nutrition at the Area Office on Agingnoted, “We have heard from thousands of older adults who have benefitedfrom the program during the last seven years, many of whom were able toenhance special diets and improve their overall health as a result ofbeing able to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Our goal is toimprove the diets of older adults by offering coupons to be used topurchase fresh produce from local farmers to supplement their meals. Inturn, our elders are helping local farmers by giving them a greateroutlet to sell their produce.”
To qualify, people age 60 by June 1, 2008 with household incomes ofless than $25,900 per year for couples and $19,240 for individuals mayapply for the coupons. Larger households should add $6,660 for eachmember of the household after the first two.
The Area Office on Aging explained that applications will be mailed toall previous participants by April 15, 2008. New participants or thosewho may have moved may obtain an application by calling the Area Officeon Aging at 419-382-0624 or 1-800-472-7277. Coupons will be mailed tothose who return their applications by May 31, 2008, by June 15, 2008.Coupons will be mailed to those who return their applications after May31, 2008 as soon as the application is processed. Once the applicationis processed, eligible seniors will receive 10 - $5 coupons valid untilOctober 31, 2008. A list of farm markets and stands will be includedwith the coupons in the mail. More than one hundred local farmers areparticipating in the Senior Farmers’ Market Coupon Program this year.
Farmers will have the produce clearly marked as to what produce islocally grown. Older adults too frail or homebound to shop maydesignate someone to shop for them at the farm market or stand. Thisperson is called a proxy. Both the senior and his/her proxy mustcomplete the application.
Kaptur concluded, “This is a big plus for our region – for older adultsand family farmers. It is the only one in the state and one of the fewin the nation. It truly represents a win-win for farmers and olderadults alike. We applaud the Area Office on Aging’s bold pursuit ofthis federal effort to aid older adults’ nutrition while contributingto the economic success of family farmers.”
“As we come to this year’s Spring season, we welcome the start of theSenior Farmers’ Market Coupon Program,” said Kaptur. “Since this effortbegan in the summer of 2001, it has provided nearly $10 million infresh fruits and vegetables to thousands of our region’s older adults,while also providing income to hundreds of local growers. We are alwayslooking for ways to expand the success of our local and independentgrowers throughout the district. The Senior Farmers’ Market CouponProgram does just that and encourages good nutrition for older adults.This is an ideal way to support better nutrition and keep our fooddollars local. Since the program began, over 100 family farmers innorthwest Ohio have registered to sell home grown product and anaverage of 18,000 senior citizens are participating.”
The Ohio Department of Aging and the Area Office on Aging received agrant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in theamount of $1,187,412 to provide locally grown fresh fruits, vegetables,and herbs to 17,000 eligible older adults citizens in Northwest Ohio.This is the eighth consecutive year for the effort supported by Kaptur,who serves on the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee that fundsthe USDA and the Senior Nutrition grant.
Mrs. Billie Johnson, Executive Director of the Area Office on Aging,stated, “We are very pleased to be able to offer the Farmers’ MarketCoupon Program again to our older adults. This initiative is awonderful way to help continue in our mission to serve older adultswhile improving quality of life. We have the opportunity to expandnutrition service options, enabling people to purchase the very best inquality produce fresh from our own region. We have been able to developa strong partnership with area farmers, the State Departments of Healthand Aging, and USDA, to successfully implement a creative programseniors have truly appreciated and fully utilized. The Farmers MarketCoupon Program is the most popular of our many offerings, with olderadults happy to put money in the pockets of local farmers whileenjoying the best of their produce.”
Dr. Rebecca Liebes, Director of Nutrition at the Area Office on Agingnoted, “We have heard from thousands of older adults who have benefitedfrom the program during the last seven years, many of whom were able toenhance special diets and improve their overall health as a result ofbeing able to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Our goal is toimprove the diets of older adults by offering coupons to be used topurchase fresh produce from local farmers to supplement their meals. Inturn, our elders are helping local farmers by giving them a greateroutlet to sell their produce.”
To qualify, people age 60 by June 1, 2008 with household incomes ofless than $25,900 per year for couples and $19,240 for individuals mayapply for the coupons. Larger households should add $6,660 for eachmember of the household after the first two.
The Area Office on Aging explained that applications will be mailed toall previous participants by April 15, 2008. New participants or thosewho may have moved may obtain an application by calling the Area Officeon Aging at 419-382-0624 or 1-800-472-7277. Coupons will be mailed tothose who return their applications by May 31, 2008, by June 15, 2008.Coupons will be mailed to those who return their applications after May31, 2008 as soon as the application is processed. Once the applicationis processed, eligible seniors will receive 10 - $5 coupons valid untilOctober 31, 2008. A list of farm markets and stands will be includedwith the coupons in the mail. More than one hundred local farmers areparticipating in the Senior Farmers’ Market Coupon Program this year.
Farmers will have the produce clearly marked as to what produce islocally grown. Older adults too frail or homebound to shop maydesignate someone to shop for them at the farm market or stand. Thisperson is called a proxy. Both the senior and his/her proxy mustcomplete the application.
Kaptur concluded, “This is a big plus for our region – for older adultsand family farmers. It is the only one in the state and one of the fewin the nation. It truly represents a win-win for farmers and olderadults alike. We applaud the Area Office on Aging’s bold pursuit ofthis federal effort to aid older adults’ nutrition while contributingto the economic success of family farmers.”